20 Leaders Tell You Why Organizations Cannot Ignore the DEI Shift – Part 1

January 17, 2023

An organizational shift to include DEI initiatives at the workplace had for long been nothing more than an undercurrent — it existed, it did make an impact, but it was seldom prominent enough to warrant the attention it deserved.

Over the last few years, however, this shift has been more pronounced than ever before, and more importantly, it is no longer playing out in the background. It has taken center stage and reached workplaces where the concept never made an impact beyond a passing reference on paper.

The DEI Shift: 20 Leaders Speak Their Mind

The evolution of the global workforce may be a strong reason behind the increased adoption of DEI programs but what’s even more significant is that this is no longer just the prerogative of the workforce — it is the need of the organization too. Organizations can no longer afford to ignore the DEI shift, and these 20 leaders tell you why.

Need for Empowerment

The one reason you can’t ignore the shift in DEI is that all people want more Empowerment. In all my travels around the world to DEI events and non-DEI events this is the common thread that binds us as the 8 billion different people on the planet.

Every organization will reach a point in the future where the talent will all leave due to them not feeling empowered, therefore you need to make sure you have a DEI program and it has a strong connection to empowerment of all people.

Ashley T. Brundage,
Empowering Differences

People want to seize control of more authority to feel safer and in charge of their life but also at the same time we are bound by our need to also gain more power which are monetary items and usually time bound deliverables. Even people not typically seen as diverse are longing to be a part of a system that includes them where they can acquire more empowered resources.

Ashley T. Brundage, Empowering Differences

High Cost of Ignorance

Despite many companies and organizations attempts to improve their support of LGBTQ employees and clients, there is still has a long way to go to foster a truly inclusive workplace, especially for trans folks.

First and foremost, this cannot be ignored because it is unacceptable for anyone to be discriminated against at work and studies show 47% of trans participants experienced at least some discriminatory behavior on a daily basis at work, such as being the target of transphobic remarks, being ignored, or being pressured to act in “traditionally gendered” ways (Thoroughgood et al, 2020). Participants reported increased hyper-vigilance and rumination at work which is not only dangerous for people’s mental health but also can cost a business.

The costs that are overlooked are decreased productivity, increased workplace dissatisfaction, higher turnover, and potential litigation. Meanwhile, organizations with trans-supportive policies saw positive increases in participants’ openness about their identities and their decreased experiences of discrimination at work (Ruggs et al, 2015) .

As people are increasingly out in the workplace, business cannot ignore the importance of DEI training. One in four LGBTQ+ members of Gen Z are nonbinary and they are the future of the workforce.

Rebecca Minor, DEI consultant, Gender Specialist

An Influential Factor

Companies can no longer avoid the shift to DEI as it is a major factor in recruiting and retaining talent. Secondly, it has been proven that diverse and inclusive companies perform better. However, the problem lies in the fact that most DEI initiatives are not addressing the real problems in the workplace and are not creating meaningful change.

The C.U.R.E starts with understanding (U) our differences so that collectively the company can be more empathetic (E) in connecting (C ) with employees and demonstrating that they feel represented (R).

Ruth Rathblott,
Founder, Ruth Rathblott

As the author of Singlehandedly: Learning to Unhide and Embrace Connection, I have developed a unique approach, the C.U.R.E (connection, understanding, representation and empathy) framework, that is more authentic. It starts with understanding (U) our differences so that collectively the company can be more empathetic (E) in connecting (C ) with employees and demonstrating that they feel represented (R).

Ruth Rathblott, Founder, Ruth Rathblott

Business Benefits

One reason that I can’t afford to ignore the shift in diversity, inclusivity, and everything that goes with it is because of the immense benefits it has for businesses. The more diverse your team is, the more inclusive you are, and the more you’re able to understand other cultures and viewpoints, the better your business will be. All of this builds trust with customers, which means they’ll be more likely to buy from you.

I have seen this firsthand in my own company where the diversity of our employees has led to a much higher level of innovation. We have people from different backgrounds working together on projects who bring different perspectives and ideas to each task. This leads us to be able to innovate faster than if we were all working alone within our own bubbles.

Brian Greenberg, CEO, Insurist

Impact on Funding

VCs and boards will demand progress toward pay parity among their portfolio companies. While we’re seeing states like California mandate that companies report their pay data by sex, race and ethnicity to encourage more equitable pay, VCs and board members will outright require that portfolio companies set time-based targets and report progress on pay parity.

Investors know that equitable companies perform better: they are more likely to beat competitors, win new markets and retain employees.

Thanh Nguyen,
CEO and Co-Founder, OpenComp

Investors know that equitable companies perform better: they are more likely to beat competitors, win new markets and retain employees. With VCs needing to be choosier about who they fund in the midst of economic uncertainty, startups will need to not only report their pay data to VCs/board members, but also rectify any gaps in order to land funding.

Thanh Nguyen, CEO and Co-Founder, OpenComp

A Foundational Necessity

Diversity, Equity & Inclusion is the glue that connects people and creates community. Now more than ever, prospective employees are asking about DEI during the interview process. Companies and leaders who want to succeed in the war for dynamic talent embrace DEI as foundational.

Data shows that organizations with an intentional and sustained commitment to DEI:

Deliver stronger performance and shareholder value
Have higher employee retention and lower turnover
Achieve greater employee satisfaction scores and higher engagement

Diversity, Equity & Inclusion is key to creating a psychologically safe environment where all people feel safe, seen valued and heard.

Robert H. Johnson Jr., Founder, Principal Consultant, RHJ Consulting Group

Behavioral Impact

Nearly all business problems (e.g., retention, poor representation of minorized employees in leadership positions) can be traced to organizational culture problems (beliefs, values, and behavioral norms). And organizational culture problems almost always come down to unconscious (and observable) biases that impact behaviors.

For example, I recently guided an organization that was losing talented female employees due to underlying bias (and behaviors) that females “be seen but not heard.” Females in the organization were discouraged from sharing opinions, speaking in meetings.

Amy Bonomi, Ph.D., MPH, Founder, Social Justice Associates

The Talent War

One reason why I’m convinced we can’t afford to ignore Diversity and Inclusion? I could quickly make a pretty long list, but to me, the most compelling reason is that a commitment to D&I has become table stakes for successfully competing in the war for talent.

Unlocking the power and performance of an increasingly diverse workforce is critical for any organization to drive innovation and better decision making, as well as to mitigate business risk.

Audrey Taylor,
Managing Director & America’s Lead, DEI Practice, Kincentric

Multiple recent studies show a majority of the US workforce believes a company’s commitment to D&I is important when choosing an employer but also feel that their company’s commitment is not genuine and that the organization should do more to drive diversity and inclusion.

Unlocking the power and performance of an increasingly diverse workforce is critical for any organization to drive innovation and better decision making, as well as to mitigate business risk. The business case is clear – now is the time for companies to live up to the commitment and actually embed D&I to drive employee engagement and company performance.

Audrey Taylor, Managing Director & America’s Lead, DEI Practice, Kincentric

New Perspectives

You cannot ignore the diversity and inclusion shift because having a diverse team makes people feel included and welcomed. You want your team to feel a sense of belonging. Also, by having a diverse team, there are more ideas brought to the table and new perspectives that can offer a lot of value from a business perspective. Diversity brings more creativity that takes into consideration many different angles to reach a broader audience.

Kristen Fowler, VP & Practice Lead, Clarke Caniff Strategic Search

Right to Respect

We live in a world where the importance of diversity, inclusivity, and related values are being more and more realized. While this shift has been long overdue, we must continue to build upon it if we are to adequately ensure that everyone can walk through life with a sense of belonging.

One powerful reason why this shift cannot be ignored is that everyone has the right to feel safe, respected, and appreciated within their communities. As such, it is incumbent on all of us to do our part in making sure no one feels excluded or disadvantaged because of identity-based characteristics such as race, gender identity, religion, or ethnicity just to name a few.

One powerful reason why this shift cannot be ignored is that everyone has the right to feel safe, respected, and appreciated within their communities.

Benjamin Okyere,
Founder, Stress Reliever

We must continually strive towards providing a level playing field so that others may realize their true potential regardless of whom they are and what they look like.

Benjamin Okyere, Founder, Stress Reliever

Hang On, There’s More!

The response to this question we posed to leaders was so overwhelming that we just couldn’t fit all of them in a single article!

So head out to 20 Leaders Tell You Why Organizations Cannot Ignore the DEI Shift – Part 2 for 10 more valuable insights!

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